Commissioners Establish Committee to Review County Charter, Approve 911 Advisory Board

• Who met: Barrow County Board of Commissioners
• Date: Tuesday, April 12, 2011
• Location: County administrative annex
• Who was present: Commission Chairman Daniel Yearwood, District 1 Commissioner Larry Joe Wilburn, District 2 Commissioner Eva Elder, District 3 Commissioner Steve Worley, District 4 Commissioner Isaiah Berry, District 5 Commissioner Billy Parks and District 6 Commissioner Ben Hendrix; Linda Moore with the Barrow County Economic Development Council, Rose Kisaalita, county CPA, Chief Dennis Merrified and Mark Whiddon, director of wastewater services
• Top agenda items:

1. Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution to establish a committee to review the county charter and present recommendations to the board for potential changes. Each commissioners and the commission chairman appointed one member each to the committee, which is required to meet before April 22. The charter review committee will then appoint two at-large members for a total of nine members. The committee will conduct public meetings in the Carl and Auburn area, Bethlehem, Statham, Winder and Braselton on or before June 10 and will present any recommendations to the board at its meeting June 14.
2. Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a resolution establishing a 911 advisory board that will provide general oversight of county emergency services and comment on policies, procedures, budget and staffing related to the department at the request of Chief Dennis Merrified.
3. Commissioners voted 5-1 to deny a request from Mark Whiddon, director of wastewater services, to reclassify a department employee as a supervisor to assist with major departmental duties. Whiddon told commissioners he couldn’t cover all of the responsibilities alone.
   “I wish we could bump everybody up,” Commissioner Billy Parks told Whiddon, “but at this time I just don’t see that we can increase an employee in one department … (while other departments) are getting less.”
   Commissioner Steve Worley voted against the motion to deny Whiddon’s request.
   “Over the past two years we have cut salaries, we have cut people, we have cut holidays, we’re talking about furlough days now,” Worley said. “I’ve been in some of these other deptartments and we have overloaded these departments … I would be willing to say that probably 60 percent of our employees have less than seven to eight years here. When the recession turns and those good jobs are out there … don’t be surprised if they don’t walk out the door.
   “You can’t know the employee down so far,” Worley continued. “One day they’re going to get tired of it.”
   Commissioner Ben Hendrix said now that the issue had been brought before the board it was up to members to assist Whiddon with finding a solution.
4. Commissioners unanimously approved a lease agreement with Leftover Pets, an organization that works to reduce the number of animals euthanized in shelters, for the former county animal control facility off Barrow Park Drive. Leftover Pets will pay $100 per month in rent for 12 months and will be responsible for all utilities and any necessary improvements to the facility.
5. Commissioners and the commission chairman named their appointments to two committees charged with reviewing the county’s Unified Development Code and personnel policies.